


Ribbons

by Blake_Belladonna_Defence_Force



Category: RWBY
Genre: Angst, College AU, F/F, Healing, Red string of fate with a twist, Trauma, enjoy a goatman free fic, self worth issues
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-11-19
Updated: 2020-11-25
Packaged: 2021-03-09 19:56:18
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 6,873
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27631718
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Blake_Belladonna_Defence_Force/pseuds/Blake_Belladonna_Defence_Force
Summary: Heartbreak is, regrettably, an inevitable consequence of existence. From the moment you’re born, you are doomed to suffer from a broken heart at varying points in your life.The loss of a beloved pet.The loss of a friend.The loss of a romantic relationship.The loss of a career.The loss of a beloved relative when they pass.The loss of your soulmate, tethered to you by the Ribbon of Fate that appears on your eighteenth birthday.Each one is capable of breaking an individual’s heart and each different type of heartache is valid. But truly devastating heartbreak should never occur in a child. The kind that scars them, the kind that leaves them wondering what it is they did wrong. No child should ever have to question if there is something wrong with them…And yet… that is the very question that Yang Xiao Long has been asking herself for years.What was so wrong with her that she didn’t even have a ribbon?Or perhaps the better question is… what, or who, can prove her wrong?
Relationships: Blake Belladonna/Yang Xiao Long
Comments: 31
Kudos: 231





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> So... I’ve been thinking about the Red String of Fate story and thought that I’d put my own little spin on it. Hopefully y’all enjoy it 😊

The first heartbreak Yang experiences is when she’s five years old and just starting school. 

Her morning begins as they usually do, with her running down the stairs as quickly as her short, little legs can carry her. After avoiding having her hair ruffled by her papa, she runs into the kitchen and drops to her knees in front of the old family dog.

“Eins!” She squeaks excitedly, grinning a goofy grin as the old corgi lifts his head sluggishly to look up at her through clouded eyes. She places her hands gently on his greying muzzle and giggles as he tiredly attempts to lick her hands. “I start school today! I’m gonna to make so many friends! And I’m gonna learn big girl stuff too! I’ll teach you and Ruby when I come home, okay?”

“Yang, angel. Let Eins be and come eat breakfast.” A soft voice chuckles, as loving hands scooping her up under her arms and pick her up easily. “He’s am old man now. He can’t get too excited.”

“Nuh-huh. Eins is super strong! He’s gonna live forever!” Yang grins, leaning forward to kiss her mama’s cheek happily, giggling as her mama turns to nuzzle their noses together sweetly. “I’m hungry!”

“Hi, Hungry. I’m mama. How are you feeling today?”

“Muuuuuum!”

“I didn’t know  _ “muuuuuum”  _ was an emotion.”

Yang giggles again as her mama spins around, sending both of their hair flying. Whenever she does this, Yang imagines that her mama’s a superhero and she’s her sidekick, flying through the sky and saving the world. Her mama was always so happy and bright and strong. No bad guy could touch her. Just like Eins, Yang’s mama was going to stay forever.

“Yan!” 

Yang grins as her mama lets her down and she runs over as Ruby toddles into the room, walking on unsteady legs until Yang scoops her up… or tries to. “Ruby!” Yang greets warmly, kissing the top of her sister’s messy hair happily. “I’m going to school today!”

“I wan’ go school too!” 

“Not yet, my little rosebud.” Their mama murmured softly, bending down to wrap her arms around her girls. She nuzzles Ruby’s nose with her own and laughs when she whines. “Don’t worry. Yang will be home before you know it.”

“Yeah! And then I can tell you allllll about it!” Yang says earnestly as her mama shoos them towards the table gently. “I’m so excited!”

And so, it’s with a skip in her step that she leaves the house, expecting all of her family members to be waiting for her upon her return home. But alas, when her mama and papa pick her up from school, their faces carry an emotion she has never seen before. It’s darker, more painful. It looks like sadness but heavier and she can’t quiet put a name to it.

But she does feel it, when they sit her down and gently explain that Eins had gone to doggy heaven. It’s painful, a heavy ache in her chest that grows and grows as she tries to deny it. She begs and pleads but it’s to no avail. The pain grows and grows until she feels like her little body can’t contain it, spilling from her in great, heaving sobs as her mama and papa rock her and Ruby back and forth.

Thus, Yang’s tiny, golden heart finds itself with its first fissure.

* * *

The second heartbreak Yang experiences is on the night before her twelfth birthday, after a school friend makes an observation. 

“Y’know… you don’t really look like your mum… like… at all.” Mercury says lazily from where he’s kicking a soccer ball against a tree, sneering as Emerald tries to shush him. “What? It’s true!”

“Well… obviously.” Yang snorts, though she can’t help but feel a strange tugging at her heart. It’s uncomfortable and so, she tries to push through it, ignore it until it goes away. “I look more like my dad. Ruby took after mum.”

“Yeah… but even Ruby looks a little like your dad, Yang. You look nothing like your mum and you barely resemble your dad.” Mercury pauses, rolling his eyes with a grunt as he shrugs. “Maybe you’re adopted. It’d explain why they love you so much. They actually chose to have you.” Then, under his breath as his expression darkens. “Unlike mine.”

“Mercury! Leave Yang alone!” Emerald hisses, smacking his shoulder and turning to Yang with a nervous smile. “Don’t listen to Merc, Yang. He’s an idiot.”

“Hey!”

“Ye-Yeah.” Yang murmurs, smiling weakly at her friend and clearing her throat as the uncomfortable tug in her chest becomes more insistent, like it was demanding to be heard. “An idiot.”

Later that night, she sits across from Summer Rose and studies her, trying to see  _ herself  _ in the woman that had raised her. But where Summer’s face was round, her own face was more angular. Where Summer had a widow’s peak, Yang did not. Where Yang’s eyes were a shade of purple rimmed by crimson, Summer’s were silver. All features that Ruby had taken after. As for Taiyang, Yang could see herself in his smile and his hair… but that was all. 

“Yang? Angel?” Summer calls softly, a concerned crease developing between her brows as she reaches over to curl her hand gently over Yang’s. “Is everything okay? You look… worried.”

“Am I adopted?”

Yang frowns as her father makes a strangled noise in his throat, choking on a piece of steak as her mother hurriedly places his glass of water in his hand and rubs his back carefully before turning to Yang with a nervous expression in her eyes that makes the annoying tug in Yang’s chest worse. “What- why would you ask something like that, baby girl?”

“I don’t look like you at all. Ruby looks a little like dad, at least. I- is it- am I actually yours, mum?” Yang asks, her voice cracking on the last word as the tugging in her chest gets bigger and bigger.

“Oh, honey.” Summer murmurs, glancing at Taiyang, who sighs heavily and nods reluctantly at her.

“I… think it’s time to tell her.” Taiyang murmured softly, a pained expression entering his blue eyes. “Ruby, sweetie, could you go up to your room? Mum and I need to talk with Yang about something, okay?”

“Seriously?” Ruby mutters, squinting at them in confusion as she stands. When nobody moves, she huffs, pouting as she grabs her school bag and heads up to her room. “Alright. I’ll be in my room, then.”

As soon as she leaves, Summer stands and kneels by Yang’s side, taking her much smaller hands in her own and strokes her palms gently. “Oh, my sunny little dragon.” Summer sighs, a guilty expression crossing her face. “No matter what we tell you, I need you to know that no matter what, you are mine. You are, and always will be, my baby. Okay?”

“Ok- okay.” Yang stutters, her heart racing as Summer inhales deeply.

“Baby, I didn’t give birth to you. You… have a different birth mother but Tai is your birth father.” Summer says softly, her voice breaking slightly as Yang’s breathing hitches painfully. “Her name is Raven Branwen and… um… things didn’t end well between her and your father.”

“But… I have friends who’s parents are divorced and they get to see them both.” Yang says, her eyes wide with distress as she turns to her father. “Why didn’t I get to see Raven? Why did you lie to me?”

“Yang… your birth mother is… a complicated woman.” Tai says quietly as he moves to kneel by Yang’s other side, gently cupping the back of her head and brushing her hair with his thumb. “There was a lot about her that I still don’t understand to this day. When we agreed to separate… she decided that it would be best if she stayed away from you.”

“Did- did she want me?”

The pause between the two adults in the room, the way they freeze and look at each other, is all of the information that Yang needs for the tugging in her chest to tear a brand new fissure in her heart. 

“She didn’t, did she?” Yang demands, pushing away from the table and standing, sending the chair to the ground as she does. Tears are spilling down her cheeks as her chest begins to heave in hyperventilating breaths. “She didn’t want me. Did you plan to have me? Was I  _ ever  _ wanted?!”

“Yang, sweetie, it’s not that simple-“

“I wasn’t, was I?” Yang whimpers, her eyes wide with pain as Tai glances away. “I was- I was an accident, wasn’t I? I was a mistake!”

“No.” Summer says firmly, reaching out and taking Yang firmly by her shoulders and staring at her with a fierce expression. “You are  _ not  _ a mistake. Do you understand me? You are a  _ treasure.  _ Raven may not have wanted you but  _ I  _ do. I  _ chose  _ to be your mother because I  _ love  _ you, just as much as I do Ruby. Nothing could possibly change that.”

“But- not even my birth mother stayed around for me! How do I know that you’ll stay too?”

“Because I promise you that I’m staying.” Summer murmurs, desperation creeping into her voice as Yang stared at her suspiciously. “I’m staying, baby girl. I’m not going to leave you.”

“... pro- promise?”

“I promise.”

Yang sniffs once, then twice, before launching herself into Summer’s arms with a heartbroken sob. Moments later, Tai curls his arms around them and kisses her hair softly, murmuring a soft “We love you” into her hair as she cries. 

As Summer repeats her promise, Yang finds herself believing her.

Perhaps that’s what made her next heartbreak all the more painful.

* * *

The third heartbreak happens during her fifteenth year of life, after being convinced by her friends to attend a party that she’s much too young for.

“Yang Xiao Long!”

Yang climbs off of Arslan’s lap, mouth falling open in mortified horror at the sight of Summer Rose standing in front of her and tapping her foot. “Mum?! What are you doing here?!”

“Apparently, picking up my daughter because she’s drinking well before she’s legal.” Summer says slowly, crossing her arms and jerking her head toward the front door. “We’re leaving…  _ now _ , Yang.”

“No way! Dad said-“

“Did your father know that his daughter would be getting drunk and sticking her tongue down some girl’s throat?” Summer asks quietly, dangerously, as Yang stumbles, her vision going hazy. “This isn’t the place for you, Yang. You’re better than this.”

“What would you know?” Yang growls, her shoulders stiffening as her friends begin to snicker at her. “We’re just having fun!”

“As your mother-“

“But you’re not my real mum!”

There’s a cold silence that follows, as Summer’s silver eyes go wide with bewildered hurt. She steps back and inhales sharply as the other teenagers ooh and ahh. “We’re going home now.”

“Mum… I didn’t-“ Yang stutters, her temper leaving her as quickly as it had flared, her heart twisting awfully at the pained look in Summer’s eyes. “I didn’t mean-“

“Just go get in the car, Yang.” Summer says quietly, her eyes averted from Yang’s, her voice carefully neutral. “ _ Please _ .”

Yang obeys and, as she climbs into the car, she curls in on herself guiltily, unable to rid herself of the memory of pain on Summer’s face. 

But when a traffic light goes green and they drive into an intersection, the last couple of things Yang sees is Summer’s arm reaching to press her back into her seat as a truck runs a red light and slams into their car and the rose red blood covering her mother’s face when they finally stop being thrown around.

When she wakes up, it’s to discover that the universe had chosen to break Summer’s promise and leave Yang with yet another fissure in her already damaged heart and a broken arm.

* * *

But it seems that the universe isn’t quite done breaking Yang’s heart, because when she wakes up, she discovers that her father has withdrawn into himself, throwing himself so far into his work that nothing can pull him out.

Nothing Yang can say seems to convince him to return to them. Not to Ruby, and certainly not to  _ Yang _ , who was beginning to feel as though she had lost  _ three  _ parents in the span of three years.

But more than that… she discovers that friends don’t always stick around when a crisis strikes, leaving her to pick up the pieces of her broken family by herself.

The only thing that stops her from completely breaking down is the knowledge that  _ somebody  _ has to take care of Ruby.

But there’s an ugly voice in the back of her mind, one that whispers that it’s only a matter of time before Ruby leaves her too. After all… if the universe was so determined to split her heart into pieces, perhaps she was just meant to be alone.

A fact that seems to ring true when, on her eighteenth birthday, no Ribbon of Fate appears and she’s left with the horrifying, though unsurprising, revelation that she wasn’t meant to have  _ someone. _

That she, Yang Xiao Long, was destined to be alone.


	2. Intervention

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which two young women find themselves dealing with well meaning friends.

Yang stares blankly at her right forearm completely devoid of the oh so sought after Ribbon of Fate. Nineteen years old and now moved into her dorm with a roommate that seems to have an icicle stuck up her ass, Yang finds herself feeling more alone than ever before. Her eyes dart over to her roommate, who was petite and pretty, though far from Yang’s type, and lands on the blue and grey ribbon attached to her right forearm. A bubble of self loathing rises up in her chest, a bubble that existed for years and only grown worse as time went on. It was familiar, an old friend she knew intimately. She rolls her eyes as the girl’s own gaze, none too subtly, drifts to Yang’s empty arm and smiles bitterly, though it’s not cruel.

“Look, Schnee… if you wanna ask, just ask.” Yang says, sitting on her bed and arching a brow as Weiss sputters, her pale cheeks becoming darker as she tries to refute Yang’s words. “Don’t. I know that look, alright? I’ve seen it every fucking day since I turned eighteen and nothing showed up.”

“It’s none of my business.” Weiss sniffs, though her eyes drift back to Yang’s forearm, her blue gaze burning with an almost scientific curiosity. “Besides… it’s not like you can’t have a full quality of life without one. Plenty of people never meet their soulmate and live perfectly happy lives.”

“Yeah… but they still know that they _have_ one. The destined person meant to truly love them and all that jazz.” Yang sighs, chuckling mirthlessly as she stands up and heads to the door. “It doesn’t matter, anyway. I’m fine.”

“Who are you trying to convince?”

Yang freezes, grunting irritably as she slams the door shut behind her and makes her way to the cafeteria, a small, sad smile flickering across her face as she enters the room and sees waves upon waves of ribbons, each one matching the eye colours of their owners. She had once longed for the day that she’d see her own ribbon, swirls of purple with whatever her soulmate’s eye colour would be… but she had long since given up. 

“Yang! Over here!”

A genuine smile slips onto her face for the first time that morning as a tall girl with bright red hair waves her over and pulls her into a hug, resting her chin on top of Yang’s head for a moment. “Hey, Pyrr. How’s Ribbon Boy?” She asks teasingly, pulling back to smirk at the blonde boy that Pyrrha’s green and blue ribbon connected to. Seeing the way Pyrrha’s eyes light happily, oddly enough, both soothes the painful ache in her chest and makes it burn brighter. She was genuinely happy for her… but she couldn’t deny that she was a little jealous.

“I’m great, Yang. Even better now that you’re here to tease me.” Jaune says sarcastically. “Seriously. Best part of my day.”

“Sorry, man. You’re dating my best friend now. Gotta make sure you’re up to snuff.” Yang teases with a small smirk, rolling her eyes fondly as Pyrrha leans over to kiss Jaune’s cheek sweetly. “So… what else is new for you?”

“Not me for me… but for you.” Pyrrha’s says slowly, her eyes flashing with concern as she reaches into her bag and pulls out a sheet of paper and slides it across the table to Yang. “I think this could be good for you, Yang.”

“Seriously? A dating app? What are we, in high school?” Yang snorts, poking the paper with a single finger as though it might bite her. “What’s the deal, Pyrrha? If you wanted more time with your boy, all you had to do was-“

“No! God, no. Yang, you know I love you but we both know that you’re lonely.” Pyrrha says softly, reaching across the table to grasp Yang’s hand, her eyes pleadingly staring into her own. “Everyone in our group has paired off… and I see how lonely you get. You feel like an extra wheel and nothing we do seems to help.” Pyrrha’s voice wavers, her eyes welling up with tears that she’s quick to blink away. “This service partners you up with another unbound person. It could be so good for you-“

“Until they find their soulmate and leave me behind?” Yang says sharply, though she can’t bring herself to snatch her hand away as Pyrrha tightens her grip. “Pyrrha, come on. It’s fine. You know me… go with the flow. Nothing is permanent anyway so why would I go out of my way to get attached to somebody that’s just gonna leave anyway?” She shrugs, forcing a lazy smile onto her face as Pyrrha slowly inhales and closes her eyes.

“Yang… _please._ I know it’s hard but _please_ give this a go. For me?” Pyrrha pleads, opening her eyes to gaze at Yang beseechingly, her hands holding Yang’s carefully. “Please?”

“Oh my Go- fine! Fine, I’ll _think_ about it! That’s it!” Yang groans, growling lightly as Pyrrha _beams_ at her. “You can’t keep using The Face to get what you want from me. It’s going to lose effectiveness soon.”

“Yang, we both know you’re too gay for that.”

“Fuck you too.”

Pyrrha laughs, pulling her hands away and settling into Jaune’s side, smiling warmly at Yang as Jaune grins at her. “Pyrrha’s right, Yang. My buddy Neptune met a guy and now they have the coolest bromance ever.”

“Bromance? Jaune, darling, the word you’re looking for is “homoerotic friendship”.”

“I choked.” Jaune coughs, wheezing as Yang smirks at him, his eyes narrowing suspiciously at her. “Don’t-“

“I bet that’s not the first time Pyrrha’s heard that.” She murmurs slyly, snickering as Pyrrha reaches over to smack her arm. 

It doesn’t take long for the rest of their matched up crew to find them, couples filling the table and surround Yang with colourful ribbons. Pink and blue for Nora and Ren. Silver and green for Ruby and Penny. Hazel and brown for Coco and Velvet. It’s easy to forget about her own loneliness when she’s surrounded by her friends and classmates… but it all comes crashing back when she returns to her room and sits at her desk, eyes drifting towards the sheet of paper Pyrrha had all but Puss in Bootsed Yang into taking. 

“Ugh.” Yang groans, rubbing a hand down her face as she grabs the paper with her other hand, scowling irritably. “Fuck it. What’s one more disappointment?”

* * *

“Ilia. You’re ridiculous.” Blake sighs, rolling her eyes as Ilia shoves a piece of paper at her. “I’m not signing up for a dating app.”

“Blake. You’re isolating again.” Ilia says with a pointed glare, crossing her arms and glaring up at Blake stubbornly. “You’ve been having nightmares about that _bastard_ and your grades are starting to slip. You need a change of pace and this is the perfect thing for it. Sign up, meet somebody and bond.”

“Until they find their soulmate… something that I very much can’t do.” Blake mutters, glaring at the simple golden ribbon wrapped around her right forearm that leads to nowhere, ending just below her wrist, huffing irritably. “I still don’t know what the fuck it’s supposed to mean because it sure as hell isnt “choose my own soulmate.” 

Blake’s jaw sets as she remembers _his_ manipulation. How he had tricked her into _choosing_ and _claiming_ him as her soulmate. She remembers his lies and anger, how cruel he had turned as time went on. She looks away from her arm, her black cat ears pressing flat against her skull as she inhales deeply and counts to ten, just as her therapist said; reminding herself of her worth, how it extends beyond being loved by someone else, how it isn’t measured by her usefulness to another person.

“You’re getting better at that; working through your flashes.” Ilia says softly with proud smile, taking Blake’s hand in her own and squeezing it affectionately, drawing Blake’s attention to the blue and grey ribbon curled around Ilia’s own arm. “And I’m sure your ribbon means something too, Blake. You just gotta keep hanging in there.”

“I’m hanging for a cup of tea, is what I’m hanging.” Blake mutters, rolling her eyes as she passes Ilia and reaches for her wallet, shoving it into the back of her black jeans and adjusting her black muscle shirt. “You coming, shortstack?”

“Fuck you.” Ilia grunts, her scales flashing an irritated red as she shoves the paper back at Blake, smirking as she gives out an irritated sigh. “Look, we have a coffee shop to get to so just take this and promise me that you’ll think about it?”

“Argh! Fine! If makes you drop the subject, I’ll think about it all day.” Blake groans, marching towards the door of their dorm room. “Just move your butt.”

“Yes, ma’am!”

And think about it, Blake does. Throughout their study session at their favourite coffee shop, she finds that her mind drifts from her homework as her tea turns cold. By the time they return home, Blake decides the best thing to do is ignore Ilia’s expression of triumph as she snatched the paper from the table and opens her laptop to sign up, her cropped, golden ribbon swaying back and forth…

… completely oblivious to the lilac eyes staring at their own laptop screen and clicking the exact same “Sign Up Now” button that flashes at Blake.


	3. Lessons and Healing

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which we see one of Blake’s classes and learn a little about Ribbon Theory.

“... now can anyone tell me about one of the origin stories of the Ribbons of Fate? Anyone? Miss Belladonna… what about you?”

Blake glances up from her notebook and crosses her hands over her desk as she looks up at her professor, a sweet woman with sheep ears. She tilts her head, pausing to think for a moment before leaning back in her seat and nodding. “Yes, Professor Thyme. I know of one of them.”

“Wonderful!” Professor Thyme says happily, bouncing on the balls of her feet and clapping her hands before smiling at Blake. “The floor is yours.”

“When our world first came into existence, faunus and humanity lived in peaceful coexistence.” Blake says, a muscle under her eye twitching as a boy in the back of the class scoffs mockingly. “Two Goddesses ruled over them. These Goddesses represented their creations; a faunus and a human respectively. The Goddess that represented humanity was fair, with robes of the finest gold and white. Her name was Ember of Celica. The Goddess that represented the faunus dressed in shades of purple and black. Her name was Gambol of Shroud. They knew nothing of each other at first, firmly believing that they had discovered an uninhabited world. When they met… they grew curious of each other, rather than hostile. Always finding their way to one another no matter how hard they tried to focus on their people.”

“Excellent, Miss Belladonna. Do go on!”

“Eventually… the two Godesses began to fall in love. One day, Gambol of Shroud proposed to her love with a ribbon she had the finest tailors of her people make for her. It was purple and gold, a combination of their colours.” Blake says, a small smile twitching onto her face as she recounts the old tale. Her eyes traverse the room, watching as students gently brush their Ribbons with fondness, and she feels a weight grow in her chest when she glances at her own. “Um- Ember of Celica agreed, of course. She had fallen in love with the beautiful and kind Gambol of Shroud and wished to spend their immortal lives together.”

“What happened?”

Blake glances up and smirks softly at the soft whisper that leaves a young ram faunus, his eyes wide with awe. “Well… What always happens in these stories. Envy and greed brought their happy ending to a halt.” Blake says, shifting her weight as she runs a hand through her hair, shaking her head sadly. “A faunus man had become obsessed with Gambol of Shroud’s beauty and power and wanted it for his own. On the day of their wedding, just as they had wrapped the ribbon around their right forearms… the faunus man surged forward with a sword the colour of blood and demanded that the ribbon be his. That he deserved it more than Ember of Celica. Gambol of Shroud stared down at one of her own, her heart breaking that he would try to destroy her happiness and love.” Blake pauses, waiting for a beat before continuing in a much more somber voice. “She had found her love… but this man demanded her hand. When she refused, he stabbed her, her blood flying to stain the beautiful ribbon connecting her to her love. Betrayed, she and Ember of Celica came to a decision; humanity and faunus kind needed to understand the journey to true love and so, from that day on, each person would find a ribbon upon their right forearm that would lead them to their soulmate, should they choose to follow it.”

“That doesn’t seem so bad!”

“No… but that isn’t the end of it.” Blake says calmly, staring ahead of her blankly. “The man that had tried to destroy their love was to be punished for his crimes. He and all his descendants would never see their ribbon. Not until one of them came to understand the value of finding love, rather than taking it for their own.” Blake finishes, shrugging lightly. “I’m not sure that I believe in it, to be frank. I mean… our ribbons are meant to connect us to our soulmate and yet-“ She pauses, raising her hand and smiling bitterly at the sight of her ribbon, so different from those around her. “Well, I find it very hard to believe in an old fairytale.”

“Yes, well… it is just  _ one  _ of many stories and theories, Miss Belladonna. We all have our own beliefs and that’s what makes us so fascinating. How much we can learn from each other.” Professor Thyme says with a small smile, tilting her head at Blake thoughtfully. “Perhaps you’ll find your own story, Miss Belladonna.”

“That’d be amazing.” Blake says sarcastically, rolling her eyes lightly before another voice calls from the back, the same one that had scoffed earlier.

“What’s amazing is that humans end up tethered to  _ animals.  _ I guess it makes sense. Animals are easier to train to obey-“

“Really? Then it’s impressive that you’re still this disobedient, Mister Winchester.” Professor Thyme says sweetly, smiling at Cardin sputters. “Now… open your textbooks to page 307 of Ribbon Theory. We’ll be going over this particular story in closer detail.”

Blake sighs and opens her book, frowning thoughtfully. She knows she has to be patient. Yes, she had signed up for Ribbon Theory in hopes of discovering more about her own ribbon but it had only been two weeks. There’s still plenty of time for her to figure out what was going on with her.

She just has to be  _ patient. _

* * *

“So… tell me, Blake, dear. How have you been doing since our last session?”

“Um… I’ve had a couple of bad days, Doctor Peach.” Blake says, wincing as the kindly woman in front of her smiles sympathetically. She taps a nervous rhythm on her knees, fidgeting lightly as she inhales deeply. “I sometimes hear Adam’s voice in the back of my head. Repeating all of the- all of the awful things he told me. About me, about my ribbon… how we were destined because my ribbon was broken and he chose me despite the fact he had none. But… I think I’m getting better at pushing through my flashes. They don’t last as long now.”

“That’s good, Blake. I’m proud of you.” Doctor Peach says warmly, her voice sweet and genuine as she gives Blake a nod of approval. “How is your research on your ribbon going? You’re attending White Fang College now, yes?”

“Yes but I’m still no closer to finding out why my ribbon is broken.”

“Well… there could be any number of reasons, Blake.” Doctor Pecah says softly, her gaze kind. “I believe that our ribbons are impacted by our psych. Or mental states. Maybe you and your soulmate just aren’t ready to meet yet.”

“Maybe.” Blake shrugs, biting her lip for a moment before sighing heavily. “Ilia convinced me to sign up for this dating app. Apparently I’ll be matched up with someone else who isn’t tethered yet and we can just… talk? Date? Be friends?”

“Oh, wonderful, Blake!” Doctor Peach says excitedly, her eyes lighting up as she  _ beams  _ at Blake. “This is great news! You’re stepping outside of your comfort zone and putting yourself out there. This is incredibly brave of you. Well done!”

“Thanks.” Blake says, rubbing her neck self consciously, looking away in embarrassment. “I… think it’s time for something new.”

“Well, you’re doing very well, Blake. You’ve come so far since I first saw you.” The doctor says softly, leaning on her desk and chuckling softly. “You came in and I saw this scared, heartbroken and traumatised young woman with walls higher than Atlas and as I got to know you… you’ve started to heal and let the real Blake shine through. You’re becoming the person you want to be and that’s very commendable. You should be proud of yourself.”

“Thank you, Doctor. I- I  _ am _ proud of myself.” Blake says, a small smile crossing her features as a small laugh leaves her throat. She was  _ proud  _ of herself.

For the first time since before she met Adam… she was  _ proud  _ of herself. Looking back upon her path, she can see how far she’s come and she can’t deny that it’s been a long and hard journey… but she’s proud of it. 

Soulmate or no soulmate… she could be  _ proud. _

* * *

_ Match Made: _

_ Profile; Yang Xiao Long _

_ Age; 19 years old _

_ Gender; F _

_ Occupation; Student _

_ Hobbies; exercise, reading, mechanics, bike riding _

_ Area; Vale _

_ Reason for signing up; My best friend is a thorn in my side and made me _

_ Hoping to; Get her off my back? _

Blake arches a brow at her scroll screen, a small and amused smile tugging at her lips as she looks at the profile of her match. It seems that Ilia wasn’t the only best friend staging an intervention. Plus, she lives in in Vale, same as Blake, so at least Blake doesn’t have to worry about Timezone confusion. Humming softly to herself as she flops onto her back on her bed, she types out a simple message, smirking softly to herself before tucking her hands beneath her head to take a quick nap before getting to her homework, though her mind keeps drifting back to her match.

_ Blake Belladonna > Hi. _

_ Blake Belladonna > Nice to see I’m not the only one who’s best friend likes to interfer in her personal life. _

_ Blake Belladonna > Did your thorn also just… throw a piece of paper at your face and beg until you agreed? Or is my thorn just needlessly dramatic? _

Yang Xiao Long… Blake wonders what she’s like.


	4. Chat Buddies

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Yang has her first conversation with Blake Belladonna

_ Match Made: _

_ Profile; Blake Belladonna _

_ Age; 19 years old _

_ Gender; F _

_ Occupation; Student _

_ Hobbies; running, reading, yoga, hiking  _

_ Area; Vale _

_ Reason for signing up; My friend is a pain in my neck. _

_ Hoping to; Get her to not be a pain in said neck. _

**_This is the beginning of your journey with;_ ** **Blake Belladonna**

_ Blake Belladonna > Hi. _

_ Blake Belladonna > Nice to see I’m not the only one who’s best friend likes to interfer in her personal life. _

_ Blake Belladonna > Did your thorn also just… throw a piece of paper at your face and beg until you agreed? Or is my thorn just needlessly dramatic? _

Yang pauses, blinking blankly at her scroll as she relaxes against her bed. It was certainly a surprise to get  _ that  _ kind of an intro text. She hesitates, biting her lip thoughtfully as the sound of Weiss’s pen on paper fills the silence. A soft sigh escapes her and she situates herself more comfortably.

_ Yang > Hey! _

_ Yang > Nah. More like she just slid it over the table and gave me the WORST puppy dog face ever _

_ Yang > The girl knows how to guilt trip me _

There’s a long pause and Yang feels her chest flare with anxiety, her eyes rereading her messages over and over until she hears a ping.

_ Blake > Ha _

_ Blake > Mine chose to annoy me until I relented and agreed. _

_ Blake > It really doesn’t help that she also happens to be my roommate and God knows that she would have made life impossible. _

_ Yang > At least you know your roomie _

_ Yang > I got buddied up with this girl and I swear she’s got like 20 binders for three classes _

_ Blake > Let me guess… they’re all colour coded? _

_ Yang > YES! _

_ Yang > THE WOMAN TRIED TO COLOUR CODE MY CLOSET _

_ Yang > NOT EVEN HERS! MINE! _

_ Blake > I mean… _

_ Blake > If she’s as uptight as you say she is, you could definitely set up some kind of surprise for her so that she never wants to even look at it again. _

_ Yang > Like what?? _

_ Blake > I don’t know. _

_ Blake > A strap on? A riding crop?  _

_ Blake > Anything that would fluster her and potentially give you teasing material. _

Yang chokes, covering her mouth as a snorting laugh leaves her throat. It takes her by surprise and she pauses with her fingers over the screen, lip caught between her teeth.

_ Yang > Holy shit  _

_ Yang > You don’t pull any punches _

_ Blake > Not at all, Yang. _

_ Blake > Besides… now you know what you’re getting into here. _

A knot of anxiety forms in Yang stomach and she swallows, hard, as she closes her eyes and inhaled deeply, trying to push back against the tidal wave of thoughts crashing over her before she responds to Blake.

_ Yang > Uh _

_ Yang > Just so you know _

_ Yang > I’m not really looking for anything  _

_ Blake > That’s fine. _

_ Blake > Neither am I, to be quite frank. _

_ Blake > But we both have loving thorns seemingly worried about us. _

_ Blake > Why not use each other to get them off of our backs? _

_ Yang > Yeah _

_ Yang > That makes sense _

_ Yang > So… chat buddies? _

_ Blake > You know what? _

_ Blake > Sure. Let’s go with chat buddies. _

_ Blake > Which is a, frankly, adorable name. _

_ Yang > Are you an English Major?  _

_ Yang > Cuz I feel like I’m texting an English Major with your obsession with grammar  _

_ Blake > No. I merely appreciate being eloquent. _

_ Blake > I’m actually studying Ribbon Theory and once I’ve done that, I’ll be undergoing a psychology course. _

Yang frowns, privately hoping to herself that Blake won’t inundate her with theories and ideas. She’d already dealt with that enough throughout her life. Was it selfish of her to just want a space where she didn’t have to talk about it?

_ Yang > Why both? _

_ Blake > I… have a couple of reasons, some of which are too personal to talk about right now. _

_ Blake > But I think that there needs to be more done to support those who don’t have a Ribbon. _

_ Blake > In a word where having one is the default, it can do a lot of damage to somebody born without one. It can leave a lasting impact on them that shapes their relationships and mental state. _

_ Blake > I want to be able to support them. To make a difference in their lives. To help them. _

Yang blinks, something warm flooding her chest at the idea of this complete stranger wanting to dedicate her life to helping people like  _ her _ . She hadn’t met anyone who would even  _ think  _ of dedicating themselves to such a cause. Just who, exactly, was this girl?

_ Yang > That’s really sweet _

_ Yang > But I don’t think there’s much that can be done to help them _

_ Yang > I mean… what can you even do? _

_ Blake > I don’t know, Yang. _

_ Blake > But I’m going to find out. _

_ Blake > I know it’s… strange to dedicate myself to something like this. _

_ Blake > But it’s something I want to do with my life. _

_ Yang > Why? _

_ Blake > Simple. _

_ Blake > Everyone deserves their best chance. _

_ Blake > I want to support people in finding that. _

_ Blake > There’s already so many people out there that want to cause pain to others. There’s so many cruel fucking bastards who think that their life’s purpose is to hurt others. I want to do my part in balancing that out. _

_ Blake > I might not be able to help everyone. _

_ Blake > But if there’s one thing I’ve learned, it’s that helping even just one person is worth the effort. _

Yang feels her heart skip a beat. She hadn’t been expecting such a passionate answer. If anything, she had been expecting it to reek of pity instead of the easy compassion that Blake seems carry. It’s so visceral that Yang can  _ feel  _ it, even through text. It’s… strange but there’s something endearing about it. Something that feels jaded, but hopeful. 

It’s different to Ruby’s youthful optimism. It’s different to Pyrrha’s sweet, albeit sometimes annoying, “look on the bright side of life” optimism. It’s different to Weiss’s stand-offish nature and certainly different to Yang’s own lack of hope.

It’s… kind of nice.

_ Yang > Wow _

_ Yang > You’re something else huh? _

_ Blake > No. I’m not. _

_ Blake > I just can’t sit by when I can do something to help. _

_ Yang > Huh _

_ Blake > Shit. I’m sorry. I rambled and went off on a bit of a tangent, didn’t I? _

_ Yang > No. You’re fine.  _

_ Yang > It’s pretty cool how passionate you are about this stuff _

_ Blake > Thank you. _

_ Blake > What about you? What are you studying? _

_ Yang > I’m studying engineering _

_ Yang > I’m trying to become a mechanical engineer _

_ Blake > Ah. I see. _

_ Blake > So you’re a nerd. Got it. _

Yang feels her jaw drop befor eher eyes narrow with indignation, a small and irritated huff leaving her lips as she quickly types a response.

_ Yang > HEY _

_ Yang > I am NOT a nerd! _

_ Yang > Let me live my life! _

_ Blake > Okay, Okay. _

_ Blake > What made you choose engineering? _

Yang flinches, inhaling sharply as she rolls over to stare at her wall, heart squeezing violently in chest. She knows why she chose this course. She knows that it has everything to do with the fact she desperate wants to play a role in making sure that nobody has to experience what she did when she lost Summer. Being a mechanical engineer is her best shot at.

‘ _ But then again,”  _ She thinks to herself, blinking back tears.  _ ‘She wouldn’t have died if I hadn’t gone to that stupid party.’ _

It takes her a moment to push back against her emotions, to shove back into the deepest recess of her mind once more, before she answers Blake.

_ Yang > I guess it’s just the most appealing one. _

_ Yang > Hey sorry to cut this chat short but I gotta go study _

_ Blake > Oh, of course. I should probably study as well. _

_ Blake > We could chat later, though? _

_ Yang > Yeah _

_ Yang > Have a good night Blake _

With a heavy sigh, Yang throws her scroll to her bed and climbs to her few to make her way to the bathroom, ignoring the barely masked concern of her roommate. She locks the door and leans against the sink, wincing at the bags under her eyes as she shakes her head before dropping it morosely.

How long has it been since talking to somebody new felt like this? Where she could enjoy the conversation without restraint or fear? When was the last time she had caught herself smiling and enjoying the company of a stranger without wondering when they’ll see the truth and leave her behind, just as anyone doesn’t?

It was best if she doesn’t get attached. Though, she can’t deny that she  _ enjoyed  _ chatting with Blake. But still… getting attached would just lead to more hurt. She could talk with her, have fun and get Pyrrha off of her back… But she could get attached.

And when life has only proven her right in the past… How hard could that be?


End file.
